Love is a magical thing. It can build a nation, or it can kill a wounded man. It is always new and exciting, varying from each person you meet. Each relationship a lesson in life, bringing us two steps forward or two steps back. It is a constant war between the citizens of the brain, and the citizens of the heart.
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There was an old urban legend in my town about these shadow monsters who came and sucked years out of people’s souls who were unworthy. I always just assumed this was a tale the elders told to keep us kids from misbehaving.
I was wrong.
Once you see their face, you always see it. They follow you in your daily life, reminding you that your time is running out. They surround you and breathe you in. One year for each breath.
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Mary-Grace knew she was out of place the second she pulled into the lot. Her parents were letting her go to UCLA after thirteen years of private catholic school. Before leaving her car, she prayed to her god that she could loosen up. By the end of the four years, Mary-Grace sure was loose.
Red eyes. HUGE pupils. Fuck. There was no way he could go and face his parents. He examined his frail body as his knees cracked below him. His hair was starting to thin and his teeth were yellowing. He couldn’t remember the last time he ate anything. He was constantly afraid to gain back the weight he tried so hard to lose.
“You’re still fat.” He said, looking into the mirror.
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I always thought losing my virginity was going to be special. I thought there’d be fireworks, and butterflies, or at least some kind of romance. Instead all there was was cheap beer, loud music, and a Chevy.
Now here I am, five months later, trying to remember his name as I rub my growing belly.
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My head was buzzed when I came up from snorting my line off of Graham’s dick.
“You ready to fuck baby?” His grin appalling from his jagged teeth, like some creepy bottom-feeding sea creature.
“No,” I say, “I need to be numb.” I couldn’t let him enter me unless I was so far gone from reality.
He sprinkled the rest of the snow between three places: His tongue, my ass, and my dick.
His tongue proceeded to dance across every inch of my bottom half.
I couldn’t feel myself cum
They say that if you cheat death, it will eventually catch up with you. I always worry that my second chances are running out. There were so many times that my life should have ended. Now my life is no longer reckless and it is lived in a constant state of paranoia. Only way to stay alive is to keep cheating.
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It’s astounding how quiet a room can get. Everyone sits like a statue, eyes connected to the TV, but no information is being absorbed. They just stare. Some clasp their hands in a praying formation in front of their mouths. Some with tears in their eyes, while others seem emotionless, scared with their not knowing. A baby cries and diverts everyone’s attention for a moment. The only one unaware in the ER
Death is such a strange thing. You can stop life from happening, but no one can ever stop death. Maybe that’s why so many people are scared. It’s a true ruler.
He had a normal childhood. Maybe even privileged. He grew up in a condo, friends with all of the children his age in their own safe shoreline community. Her had an older sister and two parents who were still married and even more strange, still madly in love. They had a cat and a car for each member of the family.
But being normal doesn’t mean being happy.
